*¥33 


Duke  University  Libraries 
Communication  f 
Conf  Pam  #439 


HOUSE  OF  REPRESENTATIVES,  Jax.    LO,    lSo-3.— Referred 
to  Special  Committee  on  Impressments,  and  ordered  to  be  printed. 


MESSAGE  OF  THE  PRESIDENT. 

Richmond,  Va.,  Jan.  o,  I8G0. 
To  the  House  of  Representatives: 

In  response  to  your  resolution  of  the  2d  ultimo,  rela- 
tive to  the  injpressment  of  slaves,  I  herewith  transmit  a  communica- 
tion from  the  Secretaiy  of  War ;  which  conveys  all  the  information 
I  have  on  the  subject. 

JEFFERSON  DAVIS. 


COMMUNICATION  FROM  SECRETARY  OF  WAR. 

War  Department,  C.  S.  A. 

Rkhmojid,  Dec,  20,  1SG4. 

To  the  President  of  the   Confederate  States  : 

Sir:  * 

I  have  received  a  resolution  of  the  House  of  Represen- 
tatives relative  to  tlie  impressment  of  slaves,  adopted  on  the  2d 
instant,  a  copy  of  which  is  herewith  enclosed. 

The  Superintendent  of  Conscription,  to  whom  the  resolution  was 
sent  for  report,  furnishes,  in  his  reply,  copies  of  the  orders  issued  by 
him  on  that  subject,  but  states  he  is  not  in  possession  of  the  informa- 
tion demanded.  Major  General  Kemper,  commanding  the  Reserves, 
also  makes  a  report  as  to  the  impressment  of  slaves  in  Virginia. 
Copies  of  both  these  letters  are  herewith  transmitted,  and  furnish  all 
the  information  at  the  command  of  this  Department. 

Very  respectfully. 

Your  obedient  servant, 

JAMES  A.  SEDDON. 

Secretary  of  JVar, 


RESOLUTION  OF  HOUSE  OF  REPRESENTATIVES. 

C.  S.  A.,  Executive  Office, 

RicJimoyid,  Va.,  Dec.  6,  IS64. 
Hon.  Secretary  of  War: 

Sir: 

I  have  the  honor,  by  direction  of  the  President,  to  for- 
ward for  your  attention  and  the  proper  action,  a  copy  of  a  re'sohition 
of  the  House  of  Representatives  of  tlie  2d  instant,  as  follows : 

Resolution. 

"  Resolved;  That  the  President  be  requested  to  inform  this  House 
wliether,  at  this  time,  there  are  in  the  emplojnnent  of  the  Confede- 
rate States,  slaves  impressed,  exceeding  one  in  five  of  the  male  slaves 
between  the  ages  of  eighteen  and  forty-five,  of  one  owner,  and 
whether  any  slaves  have  been  impressed  and  are  now  in  service,  on 
a  basis  of  calculation  including  female  slaves  between  the  ages  of 
eighteen  and  forty-five ;  and  if  such  impressments  have  been  made, 
by  what  authorit}^  it  has  been  done,  and  whether  the  credit  directed 
to  be  allowed  in  the  impressment  of  slaves  by  the  provisions  of  the 
act  of  February  i7th,  1864,  has  been  allowed." 

Very  respectfully. 

Your  obedient  servant, 

*  BURTON  N.  HARRISON, 

Private  Secretary. 


Ma.t.  Gen.  Kkmper: 

Furnish  as  complete  an  answer  as  possible  to  this  reso- 
lution. 

By  order. 

J.  A.  CAMPBELL, 

Asst.  Sec.  of  War. 
Dec.  16,  1^64. 


Head  Quarters,  Reserve  Forces,  Va. 
December  19,  1864. 

Respectfully  returned,  inviting  attention  to  enclosed  report. 

J.  L.'  KEMPER, 

'  Maj.  Gejieral. 


V  ■ 


Head  Quarters  Reserve  Forces,  Va. 
December  19,  1864. 
Gen.  S.  Cooper,  A.  Sf  I.  General  : 

General : 

In  compliance  with  the  enclosed  order  of  the  As- 
sistant Secretary  of  War,  dated  the  16th  instant,  I  have  the  honor  to 
report  that  the  impressment  of  slaves  in  Virginia,  for  twelve  months' 
service,  has  been  conducted  in  strict  conformity  to  the  enclosed 
circular  letter  (marked  A) — that  is  to  say,  the  impressment  has 
been  apportioned  ratably  among  all  the  slaveholders  of  each  county, 
so  as  to  charge  each  slaveholder  with  the  vsame  proportion  of  his 
male  slaves  between  the  ages  of  IS  and  4-5  y<i:ars,  capable  of  per- 
forming ordinary  lal)or ;  but  in  no  case  has  any  one  person  contribu- 
ted more  than  one  out  of  five  male  slaves  between  the  ages  specified. 
It  is  true  that,  by  an  error,  the  impressment  was  begun  in  two  coun- 
ties of  th'e  State  on  a  basis  of  calculation  which  included  female 
slaves  within  the  ages  specified,  but  the  error  was  promptly  corrected, 
and  the  slaves  thus  improperly  impressed  were  all  released  and  re- 
stored to  their  owners. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be, 

Very  respectfully, 

Your  obedient  servant, 

J.  L.  KEMPER, 

Major  General. 


[A.] 


Conscript  Office, 
Richmond,  Oct. ,  IS64. 


CIRCULAR  LETTER. 

To ,  Enrolling  Officer,  Count ij : 

Circular  No.  70,  from  this  office,  is  hereby  revoked,  and 
the  following  is  th"  apportionment  of  slaves  to  be  taken  from  your 
cotinty,  under  the  provisions  of  Circular  No.  69,  Conscript  Office 
(current  series).  Circular  No.  69,  Conscript  Office  (current  series), 
is  in  full  force. 


County. 


Slaves. 


This  requisition  will  be  apportioned  ratably  amonjx  all  the  slave- 
holders in  your  comity,  so  as  to  charge  each  slaveholder  with  the 
same  proportion  of  his  male  slaves  between  the  ages  specified,  capa- 


ble  of  peiiorujin;;  ordinary  labor;  but  in  no  case  will  this  requisition 
take  more  tlian  one  out  of  five  male  slaves  between  the  ages  speci- 
fied, from  any  one  person.  Care  should  be  taken  that  the  slave  im- 
pressed is  able-bodied.  These  slaves  must  be  collected  and  forwarded 
with  the  utmo.st  possible  expedition. 

You  will  cause  the  Advisory  Board  of  your  county  to  use  extraor- 
diuarv  diligence  in  the  collection  of  these  negroes,  and  forwarding 
them  to  Capt.  W.  H.  Fiy,  Adjutant  of  the  Post,  at  Camp  Lee,  with 
full  descriptive  list,  giving  the  name  of  owner.  Receipt  sJiould  be 
taken  in  each  case.  It  is  suggested  that  the  commissioners'  books  be 
taken  as  a  guide. 

By  order  of  Lt.  Col.  J.  C.  Shields. 

,  Lieut,  and  Adft. 


RESPONSE  OF  SUPERINTENDENT  OF  CONSCRIPTION. 

Confederate  States  of  America, 
War  Department, 
Bureau  of  Conscription, 
Richmond,  Va.,  Dec.  16,  18(34. 

Hon.  James  A.  Seddon,  Secret unj  of  War: 

Sir  : 

The  following  resolution  of  the  House  of  Representa- 
tives has  been  referred  to  this  Bureau  for  attention  : 

"  Resolved,  That  the  President  be  requested  to  inform  this  House 
whether  at  this  time  there  are  in  the  employment  of  the  Confederate 
States,  slaves  impressed,  exceeding  one  in  five  of  the  male  slaves  be- 
tween the  ages  of  eighteen  and  forty-five,  of  one  owner,  and  whether 
any  slaves  have  been  impressed,  and  are  now  in  service,  on  a  basis  of 
calculation  including  female  slaves  between  the  ages  of  eighteen  and 
forty-five ;  and  if  such  impressments  have  been  niade,  by  w^hat  au- 
thority it  has  been  done,  and  whether  the  credit  directed  to  be 
allowed  in  the  impressment  of  slaves  by  the  provisions  of  the  act  of 
February  17th,  IS(y,  has  been  allowed." 

The  Bureau  is  not  in  possession  of  the  information  demanded  by 
this  resolution. 

Oiily  two  impressments  of  slaves  have  been  made  by  the  direction 
of  this  Biu-eau.' 

The  first  was  under  your  instructions  of  the  2'st  of  vSeptember 
ultimo,  for  5,000  slaves  from  the  state  of  Virginia,  for  service  with 
the  army  of  Northern  Virginia,  for  thirty  days.  The  following 
direction  was  given  to  the  Commandant  of  Conscripts  for  Virginia, 
by  the  Bureau,  for  the  execution  of  your  order: 

"September  21st — Respectfully  referred  to  Lieut.  Col.  Shields, 
to  take  immediate  steps  for  compliance  with  the  within  order  of  the 
Secretary  of  War.     The  urgency  of  the  matter,  as  represented  by 


General  Lee,  should  cause  the  utmost  promptitude.  Return  this 
paper  for  the  files  of  this  office." 

The  second  was  under  your  instructions  of  the  24th  September 
ulthno.  to  procure  negroes  under  the  Act  of  Congress  of  February 
17,  1864,  authorizing  the  employment  of  free  negroes  and  slaves  in 
certain  capacities,  to  increase  the  efficiency  of  the  army.  In  com- 
municating these  instructions  to  the  Generals  of  Reserves,  the  Bu- 
reau accompauitid  them  with  an  order,  oi"  which  the  following  is  an 
extract : 

"  September  -?Oth — To  Generals  of  Reserves — Respectfully  re- 
fierred  *  *  *  to  direct  the  officer  of  conscription  to  proceed  im- 
mediately and  with  vigor  to  the  completion  of  the  enrollment  of  the 
free  negroes  in  the  State  under  your  command,  between  the  ages  of 
18  and  50,  and  to  deal  with  them  in  accordance  with  the  instructions 
herein  contained.  Enrolling  officers  will  also  be  instructed  to  pro- 
cure from  the  owner,  by  contracts,  as  many  of  the  slaves  herein  re- 
\quired  from  your  State,  as  can  be  obtained  thereby,  and  to  make  the 
necessary  arrangements  to  procure  the  deficit  by  impressment.  If 
the  Legislature  of  your  State  has  passed  any  law  for  the  collection  of 
slaves  tor  military  servici;  in  the  Confederate  States,  the  Bureau  de- 
sires to  be  immediately  informed  of  its  provisions.  It  is  desired  thpt 
the  within  instructions  and  the  regulations  that  may  be  prepared  by 
the  Bureau  or  the  General  commanding,  &c.  and  charged  with  the 
business  of  conscription  for  their  enforcement,  wmH  not  be  published 
in  any  newspaper." 

Under  these  orders,  no  returns  have  yet  been  made  to  this  Bureau, 
though  repeatedly  called  for  from  the  Generals  of  Reserves. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be,  sir. 

Your  very  respectful,  ob't  serv't, 

JNO.  S.  PRESTON, 

Brig.  Gen.  and  Supt. 


peomalife* 

pH8.5 


